1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling a motor of a pedal- and motor-operated vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the past few years, the use of bicycles equipped both with a muscle-powered and a motor-powered drive has been increasing. So-called electric bicycles such as E-bikes or Pedelec are equipped with a drive system which uses pedals as well as an installed motor. Depending on the development of the electric bike, the motor may provide the sole drive during conventional use or also only a supporting component of the locomotion that supports the driver in the pedal operation.
In addition, the installed motor may also support the driver when the bike is being pushed. In this case, no operation of the pedals by the driver is provided, so that it may be necessary to set a special support mode at the electric bicycle.
To use the motor as pushing aid, it is therefore possible to set the desired support via an appropriate adjustment in the HMI or the control unit of the electric bicycle, for example. The (pushing) driver will then be able to move the vehicle without much exertion because the motor of the electric bicycle moves the electric bike virtually by itself in the walking direction, without any pedal operation by the driver being necessary. This has the advantage that the driver finds it much easier to move the electric bicycle across ramps (for baby carriages) provided with steps along the side or in the middle. However, it should not be overlooked that the pedals, which are fixedly coupled to the motor and rotate along, are located at the level of the legs of the (pushing) driver. Because the driver in this (or a similar) situation may possibly not be fully aware of the rotating pedals, the legs can easily be injured by the pedals, particularly since the motor continues to drive the pedals.
Furthermore, a danger potential also exists in case of a sudden obstacle that the pedals may encounter, e.g., a stair step or a stone, since such an obstruction hampers safe pushing.